What does ‘jihad’ mean, and what is the ‘Day of Jihad’?
- 'Jihad' means struggle and does not necessarily refer to violence
- Since 9/11, popular understanding of the term has been about extremism
- A call for protest has been reported as a 'day of jihad'
File – Supporters wave the Palestine flag at a march in Toronto, on Oct. 9, 2023. Before it transformed into X, Twitter was the place to turn to for live and reliable information about big news events, from wars to natural disasters. But as the Israel-Hamas war has underscored, that is no longer the case. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
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(NewsNation) — After a former Hamas leader called for a day of protest to support Palestinians during the Israeli war against Hamas, media outlets have reported it as a call for a “day of jihad.” But what does “jihad” really mean?
When former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal called for protests, he specifically called out governments in nearby countries as well as scholars of jihad. It’s now being referred to as a “global day of jihad.”
The term has old roots in Islam, but since 9/11, it has come to mean a holy war in the eyes of many in the West, conjuring up images of violence and unrest.
The term can be translated a few ways, loosely meaning “struggle,” “striving,” or “exerted effort.” Historically, the terms would mainly be understood by Muslims to refer to the struggle for self-improvement. It would be seen as the struggle to strive to follow their faith.
The use of jihad connected to a struggle against outer forces came from an era when Muslims were driven from their home and faced oppression. In that context, jihad means a struggle against oppressors, although not necessarily a violent one.
Over time, however, Islamic extremist groups adopted the term and began using it to refer to violent tactics against those they consider enemies. That led to the common understanding that jihad always refers to extremist tactics and violence.
U.S. cities ramped up security after Meshaal’s comments, but so far, there has been no violence connected to pro-Palestine protests in the U.S.
